Strad will be pulling the strings

NORFOLK STAKES GROUP TWO — 5 FURLONGS

SnApped up on the eve of the Royal meeting by leicester City’s owners for £280,000, VINTAGE BRUT can repay a chunk of that transfer fee with victory in this Group Two.

Although only successful by a neck at Sandown in the national Stakes, the son of dick Turpin was value for more than the winning margin as rider david Allan was stuck in traffic as the race evolved.

Thankfully, the gaps materialised and the selection powered home, displaying enough quality to overhaul Sabre and fight off a late thrust from Konchek who reopposes today.

The stiff track should suit Vintage Brut and his father was pretty effective here so he looks capable of a big performance. SELECTION: VINTAGE BRUT DANGER: KONCHEK

HAMPTON COURT GROUP THREE — 1 MILE 1 FURLONG

Godolphin have won the last two runnings of the hampton Court Stakes and NORDIC LIGHTS, Key Victory and national Army give the dubai operation a bright chance of completing a hat-trick.

narrow preference is for the former who may not have challenged on the best part of the track in York’s dante Stakes won by Roaring lion.

he could be a different proposition now he has been freshened up after a busy spring.

The son of intello compressed a large amount of his early education into a two-month spell and the mini break may have done him good.

Masaarr was arguably ridden too patiently at newbury last time and could outrun his odds. SELECTION: NORDIC LIGHTS DANGER: MASAARR

RIBBLESDALE STKES GROUP TWO — 1 MILE 3 FURLONGS

The draw could have been kinder to inexperienced filly Sun Maiden, a tremendously impressive Salisbury winner last time, so with that in mind oaks runner-up WILD ILLUSION is narrowly preferred.

The selection may have found the tacky ground against her last time when she had no answer to Forever Together from the furlong market and today’s conditions should be much more to the liking of a filly who boasted the quality to finish fourth in the Guineas.

The oaks form has already been boosted by the subsequent victory for the fifth-home Flattering and Wild illusion may just have a little too much nous at this stage of her career for Sun Maiden. SELECTION: WILD ILLUSION DANGER: SUN MAIDEN

GOLD CUP GROUP ONE — 2 MILES 3 FURLONGS

A dAY is a long time in racing and nobody felt that more than John Gosden yesterday.

Just 24 hours after recording a sparkling 86-1 treble on day one, the newmarket handler witnessed his star performer Cracksman humbled in the prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Racing moves on quickly though and Gosden holds a strong hand in this week’s mouth-watering feature with STRADIVARIUS. his four-yearold appears to have outstanding claims of inflicting another Gold Cup defeat on 2016 winner order of St George. The figures posted by the Sea The Stars colt in the Yorkshire Cup were astonishing for a stayer and he can hand his trainer a welcome pick-me-up. SELECTION: STRADIVARIUS DANGER: ORDER OF ST GEORGE

BRITANNIA STAKES HANDICAP — 1 MILE

JAMeS MCdonAld is desperate to make up for lost time following an 18-month ban incurred for betting and the Kiwi rider appears to have a live chance of partnering another Royal winner in this renewal.

Trainer hugo palmer looks to have a decent hand with last month’s Ascot scorer Corrosive, but it his other contender, CURIOSITY, which could prove the better of the two.

palmer nominated today’s cavalry charge as the target for the son of high Chaparral when he was just beaten at newmarket’s Guineas meeting and conditions should be ideal. A winner at Ascot last summer, Curiosity can hand his rider another high-profile success following his fine win on expert eye yesterday. SELECTION: CURIOSITY DANGER: CORROSIVE

KING GEORGE V STAKES HANDICAP — 1 MILE 3 FURLONGS

MARK JohnSTon has often been the go-to-man for staying handicaps at the Royal meeting — and the Middleham handler saddles a third of this field.

COMMUNIQUE may prove the best of the sextet as he was tremendously impressive in a strong newbury handicap last time, looking a potential Group horse in the making as he swept to the front to beat stablemate poet’s prince.

Connections were surprised as they felt the runner-up was the best of their representatives, however the time suggested that was no fluke and Communique can endorse that view. Stablemate Making Miracles, a smooth winner at leicester, could prove the chief danger. SELECTION: COMMUNIQUE DANGER: MAKING MIRACLES